Compressor packaging apparatus

ABSTRACT

A compressor packaging apparatus including a lower plate ( 21 ) mounted on a base board ( 20 ), an intermediate plate and an upper plate ( 24 ), plural compressors ( 1 A,  1 B) each of which has a cylindrical compressor main body ( 2 A,  2 B) having dish-shaped end caps ( 3 A,  3 B,  4 A,  4 B) at both the end portions thereof being placed on the lower plate and fixedly sandwiched between the lower plate and the upper plate while each compressor main body is inserted through the intermediate plate, characterized in that when one kind of compressors are packaged, the lower plate ( 21 ) and the intermediate plate are used with being placed face up, and when another kind of compressors are packaged, the lower plate and the intermediate plate are reversed and used with being placed face down.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a compressor packaging apparatus used when plural compressors are transported, stored or the like.

2. Description of the Related Art

JP-A-10-218275 discloses a compressor packaging apparatus for packaging a compressor. According to this publication, a plurality of compressors each of which has a cylindrical compressor main body having dish-shaped end caps at both the end portions thereof are placed on a lower plate mounted on a base board, and sandwiched between the lower plate and an upper plate so as to be fixed. In order to prevent the plural compressors on the lower plate from moving in the horizontal direction, the plural compressors are fixedly sandwiched between the lower plate and the upper plate while each compressor main body is inserted through an intermediate plate.

Even when two kinds of compressors having substantially the same size are packaged, two kinds of intermediate plates and two kinds of lower plates must be prepared for the packaging of these compressors, and this causes increase of the manufacturing cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been implemented in view of the foregoing situation, and has an object to provide a compressor packaging apparatus that can surely package two kinds of compressors by preparing only one kind of intermediate plate and only one kind of lower plate when these compressors have substantially the same size, and thus can reduce the manufacturing cost.

In order to attain the above object, according to the present invention, a compressor packaging apparatus including a lower plate (21) mounted on a base board (20), an intermediate plate and an upper plate (24), plural compressors (1A, 1B) each of which has a cylindrical compressor main body (2A, 2B) having dish-shaped end caps (3A, 3B, 4A, 4B) at both the end portions thereof being placed on the lower plate and fixedly sandwiched between the lower plate and the upper plate while each compressor main body is inserted through the intermediate plate, is characterized in that when one kind of compressors are packaged, the lower plate (21) and the intermediate plate are used with being placed face up, and when another kind of compressors are packaged, the lower plate and the intermediate plate are reversed and used with being placed face down.

In the above compressor packaging apparatus, each of the lower plate and the intermediate plate may be provided with an identifier for identifying which kind of compressors are packaged.

In the above compressor packaging apparatus, the intermediate plate may comprise a first intermediate plate (22) through which the compressor main bodies are inserted, and a second intermediate plate (23) having fitting holes in which paper cores disposed on the end caps at the upper portions of the compressors are engagedly fitted.

In the above compressor packaging apparatus, the compressor main bodies and the end caps thereof may be equipped with various kinds of projections extending outwards from the surfaces thereof, and the intermediate plate may be equipped with main fitting holes in which the compressor main bodies are inserted and engagedly fitted, and sub fitting holes that intercommunicate with the main fitting holes so as to extend outwards from the main fitting holes and in which the projections are engagedly fitted in the corresponding sub fitting holes.

In the above compressor packaging apparatus, the sub fitting holes in which the projections are engagedly fitted may be selected in accordance with the kind of compressors to be packaged.

In the above compressor packaging apparatus, each of the lower plate and the upper plate may comprise plural laminated cardboards that are adhesively attached to one another.

According to the present invention, when two kinds of compressors having substantially the same size are packaged, by merely providing only one kind of intermediate plate and only one kind of lower plate, the compressors can be surely packaged and also a compressor packaging apparatus having a low manufacturing cost can be provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a compressor for high temperature;

FIG. 2 is a right side view showing the compressor for high temperature;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a compressor for low temperature;

FIG. 4 is a right side view showing the compressor for low temperature;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a base board, a lower plate, first and second intermediate plates, paper cores and an upper plate to package compressors for high temperature;

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a state that the lower plate and the compressors for high temperature are placed on the base board;

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view showing a sate that the upper plate is placed;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a state that the compressors for high temperature are packaged;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a base board, a lower plate, first and second intermediate plates, a paper core and an upper plate for package compressors for low temperature;

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a state that the lower plate and the compressors for low temperature are placed on the base board;

FIG. 11 is a partial perspective view showing a state that the upper plate is placed; and

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a state that the compressors for low temperature are packaged.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A preferred embodiment according to the present invention will be described hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a compressor for high temperature (hereinafter referred to as high-temperature compressor) 1A, and FIG. 2 is a right side view showing the high-temperature compressor 1A. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the high-temperature compressor 1A has a cylindrical compressor main body 2A, and dish-shaped end caps 3A and 4A are fixed to both the ends of the compressor main body 2A by welding. The end cap 4A is provided with four fixing legs 5A at angular positions of 45 degrees, 135 degrees, 225 degrees and 315 degrees in plan view (the uppermost position in the vertical direction is set to 0 degree, the position corresponding to the clockwise rotation of 45 degrees is set to 45 degrees, and the same interpretation is applied to the other positions) (hereinafter referred to as 0-degree position, 45-degree position, 135-degree position, 225-degree position and 315-degree position) so as to be spaced from one another at equal angular intervals (every 90 degrees).

A connecting pipe 6A of an oil equalizing pipe for equalizing oil when plural compressors are connected to one another is provided at the 90-degree position, and one securing port 10A for securing an oil level sensor for oil is provided at the 335-degree position. Furthermore, an annular flat portion is provided in the neighborhood of a peripheral edge portion serving as a weld portion of the end cap 4A, and a spherical convex surface portion is provided to the intermediate portion.

Suspending portions 7A are provided at the 135-degree and 315-degree symmetrical positions on the upper surface of the end cap 3A so as to project outwardly from the upper surface of the end cap 3A so that the compressor is easily moved. Furthermore, an outflow plug 11A for compressed refrigerant (Freon gas; chlorofluorocarbon) is provided at the 180-degree position on the side surface.

Furthermore, on the side surface of the compressor main body 2A, a cover 8A for connection terminals is provided at the 90-degree position, an oil return port 9A is provided at the 65-degree position, the other securing port 10A for securing the oil level sensor for the oil is provided at the 335-degree position, an inflow port 12A of the Freon gas is provided at the lower portion of the 180-degree position, and an inlet pipe 13A for the oil is provided at the 160-degree position.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a compressor 1B for low temperature (hereinafter referred to as “low-temperature compressor”) has substantially the same size as the high-temperature compressor 1A, and has a cylindrical compressor main body 2B. In the low-temperature compressor 1B, dish-shaped end caps 3B and 4B are secured to both the ends of the compressor main body 2B by welding.

The end cap 4B is provided with four fixing legs 5B at angular positions of 45 degrees, 135 degrees, 225 degrees and 315 degrees in plan view of FIG. 3 so as to be spaced from one another at equal angular intervals (every 90 degrees). Furthermore, an oil level check window 15B is provided at the 90-degree position, an oil inlet pipe 16B for maintenance is provided at the 180-degree position, and one securing port 10B for securing an oil level sensor for detecting the level of oil is provided at the 0-degree position. Still furthermore, an annular flat portion is provided in the neighborhood of a peripheral edge portion serving as a weld portion of the end cap 4B, and a spherical convex surface portion is provided to the intermediate portion.

Suspending portions 7B are provided at the 135-degree and 315-degree symmetrical positions on the upper surface of the end cap 3B so as to project outwardly from the upper surface of the end cap 3B so that the compressor is easily moved. On the side surface of the compressor main body 1B, a take-out pipe 17B for taking out Freon gas to detect the discharge pressure is provided at the 35-degree position, an inlet pipe 18B for liquid injection is provided at the 60-degree position, a take-out pipe 19B for taking out Freon gas to detect the discharge pressure is provided at the 125-degree position and an outflow plug 11B for compressed Freon gas is provided at the 180-degree position.

Furthermore, on the side surface of the compressor main body 2B, a cover 8B for connection terminals is provided at the 90-degree position in plan view of FIG. 3, the other securing port 10B for securing an oil level sensor is provided at the 0-degree position, and an oil inlet pipe 13B is provided at the 180-degree position of the intermediate portion. A Freon gas flow-in port 12B is provided below the inlet pipe 13B.

Each of the compressors 1A and 1B is designed as a vertical mount type compressor which is set up through the fixing legs 5A (5B) in the machine room of an air conditioner or the like. The compressors 1A (1B) are packaged with every nine compressors being collected as one set. A packaging apparatus for the compressors will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 12.

First, a packaging apparatus usable for both the high-temperature compressor 1A and the low-temperature compressor 1B will be described.

In FIGS. 5 and 8, the packaging apparatus mainly comprises a base board 20 such as a pallet formed of a wooden frame in which an arm of a forklift is insertable, a lower plate 21 which is mounted on the base board 20 and formed by adhesively attaching plural cardboards, a first intermediate plate 22 in which the compressor main bodies 2A (2B) are inserted and which are formed by adhesively attaching plural cardboards, a second intermediate plate 23 which are mounted on the upper portions of the end caps 3A (3B) and formed by adhesively attaching plural cardboards, an upper plate 24 formed of laminated wood (plywood), paper cores which are engagedly fitted in second fitting holes 31 of the second intermediate plate 23 under the state that the suspending portions 7A (7B) provided to the end caps 3A (3B) are engagedly fitted in first fitting holes 30, a bag type waterproof and dust-proof plastic sheet 26 which has an opened lower surface and covers the lower plate 21 on the base board 20, the first intermediate plate 22, the second intermediate plate 23 and the paper cores 25, and a binding band 27 for integrally binding all the above constituent elements from the lowermost base board 20 to the uppermost upper plate 24 under the state that the lower plate 21 on the base board 20, the first intermediate plate 22, the second intermediate plate 23 and the paper cores 25 are covered by the plastic sheet 26 and the upper plate 24 is placed on the plastic sheet 26.

Next, the lower plate 21 will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 5, the lower plate 21 is provided with plural first fitting holes 32 and second fitting holes 33 intercommunicating with the first fitting holes 32 so as to extend outwardly from the first fitting holes 32. Each first fitting hole 32 has a circular shape in plan view, and the spherical (dish-shaped) convex surface portion of the end cap 4A (4B) of each compressor 1A (1B) is engagedly fitted in each first fitting hole 32. Plural second fitting holes 33 (in this embodiment, four second fitting holes 32) are formed so as to intercommunicate with each first fitting hole 32 and disposed so as to be spaced from one another at an angular interval of 90 degrees. The securing legs 5A (5B) of each compressor 1A (1B) are engagedly fitted in the second fitting holes 33.

One of four corners of the lower plate thus constructed is cut out to form a cut-out portion 21A serving as an identifier. When the lower plate is disposed so that the cut-out portion 21A is located at the lower left side in FIG. 5, the lower plate 21 is defined as being placed face up. In this case, the lower plate 21 is used to package plural high-temperature compressors 1A. When this lower plate 21 is reversed, the lower plate 21 is defined as being placed face down, and it is used to package plural low-temperature compressors 1B.

In this case, the second fitting holes 33 are formed so that each securing leg 5A is engagedly fitted in each second fitting hole 33 under the state that the convex surface portion of the end gap 4A of each high-temperature compressor 1A is engagedly fitted in each first fitting hole 32 so that the outflow plug 1A is located so as to be displaced from the vertical center line by 20 degrees, that is, located at the 160-degree position as shown in FIG. 7. That is, each fitting hole 33 is formed so that the securing leg 5A at the lower left side is engagedly fitted in the second fitting hole 33 so as to be displaced from the vertical center line by 25 degrees.

Next, the first intermediate plate 22 will be described.

The first intermediate plate 22 is provided with first engaging holes 34 each having a circular shape and through which the compressor main bodies 2A (2B) are inserted, second fitting holes 35 each of which intercommunicates with each first fitting hole 35 so as to extend outwardly from the first fitting hole 35 and through which the outflow plug 11A of each compressor 1A or the outflow plug 11B of each compressor 1B is engagedly fitted (inserted), third fitting holes 36 in which the take-out pipes 19B of the compressors 1B are engagedly fitted, fourth fitting holes 37 in which the inlet pipe 18B of the compressors 1B are engagedly fitted, and fifth fitting holes 38 in which the take-out pipes 17B of the compressors 1B are engagedly fitted. One of four corners of the first intermediate plate 22 is cut out to form a cut-out portion 22A. When the first intermediate plate 22 is disposed so that the cut-out portion 22A is located at the lower left side, the first intermediate plate 22 is defined as being placed face up. In this case, the first intermediate plate 22 is used to package plural high-temperature compressors 1A. When this first intermediate plate 22 is reversed, the first intermediate plate 22 is defined as being placed face down, and it is used to package plural low-temperature compressors 1B.

Accordingly, under the state that the first intermediate plate 22 is placed face up, the end cap 3A of each high-temperature compressor 1A is passed through the first fitting hole 34 and the outflow plug 11A is passed through the second fitting hole 35, and then each compressor main body 2A and each end cap 3A are inserted in the first intermediate plate 22. On the other hand, under the state that the first intermediate plate 22 is placed face down, the end gap 3B of each low-temperature compressor 1B is inserted in the first fitting hole 34, the take-out pipe 19B is inserted in the third fitting hole 36, the inlet pipe 18B is inserted in the fourth fitting hole 37, and the take-out pipe 17B is inserted in the fifth fitting hole 38, so that each compressor main body 2B and each end cap 3B are inserted in the intermediate plate 22.

Next, the second intermediate plate 23 will be described.

As described above, the second intermediate plate 23 is provided with the second fitting holes 31 in which the paper cores 25 placed at the center portions on the end caps 3A (3B) are fitted, and the first fitting holes 30 which intercommunicate with the second fitting holes 31 so as to extend outwardly from the second fitting holes 31 and are disposed so as to be spaced from one another an angular interval of 90 degrees so that the suspending portions 7A (7B) provided to each end cap 3A (3B) are engagedly fitted in each first fitting hole 30. One of four corners of the second intermediate plate 23 is cut out to form a cut-out portion 23A. When the second intermediate plate 23 is disposed so that the cut-out portion 23A is located at the lower left side, the second intermediate plate 23 is defined as being placed face up. In this case, the second intermediate plate 23 is used to package plural high-temperature compressors 1A. When this second intermediate plate 23 is reversed, the second intermediate plate 23 is defined as being placed face down, and it is used to package plural low-temperature compressors 1B.

Accordingly, under the state that the second intermediate plate 23 is placed face up, the paper core 25 mounted at the center portion on the end cap 3A of each high-temperature compressor 1A is engagedly fitted in the second fitting hole 31, and each pair of suspending portions 7A provided at the symmetrical positions are engagedly fitted in each pair of first fitting holes 30 provided to the symmetrical positions. Under the second intermediate plate 23 is placed face down, the paper core 25 mounted at the center portion on the end cap 3B of each low-temperature compressor is engagedly fitted in the second fitting hole 31, and each pair of suspending portions 7B provided at the symmetrical positions are engagedly fitted in the other pair of first fitting holes 30 provided at the symmetrical positions.

The base board 20, the lower plate 21, the first and second intermediate plates 22 and 23 and the upper plate 24 are designed to be substantially equal to one another in size in plan view.

Next, a manner of packaging plural high-temperature compressors 1A by using the compressor packaging apparatus described above will be first described.

First, the lower plate 21 which is placed face up is mounted on the base board 20 so that the cut-out portion 21A is located at the lower left side as shown in FIG. 6. The spherical convex surface portion of the end cap 4A of each high-temperature compressor 1A is engagedly fitted in each first fitting hole 32 of the lower plate 21, the annular flat portion in the neighborhood of the peripheral edge portion of the end cap 4A is mounted on the peripheral portion of the first fitting hole 32 and the four securing legs 5A are engagedly fitted in the second fitting holes 33, whereby the compressors 1A can be prevented from being rotated on the plane (in the plane direction).

Subsequently, in order to prevent the movement in the horizontal direction of each high-temperature compressor 1A mounted on the lower plate 21, the first intermediate plate 22 which is placed face up is put from the upper side of the compressors 1A so that the cut-out portion 22A of the first intermediate plate 22 is located at the lower left side. Then, each compressor main body 2A is inserted through the first fitting hole 34, and the outflow plug 11A on the side surface of the end cap 3A is inserted through the second fitting hole 35, and the first intermediate plate 22 is moved to the position as indicated by a two-dotted chain line of FIG. 7. The first intermediate plate 22 can surely prevent the movement in the horizontal (plane) direction of the compressors 1A. With respect to the packaging of the high-temperature compressors 1A, the third fitting holes 36, the fourth fitting holes 37 and the fifth fitting holes 38 play no role when the compressor main bodies 2A are inserted through the first fitting holes 34.

Subsequently, the second intermediate plate 23 is placed face up on the end caps 3A of the compressors 1A so that the cut-out portion 23A is located at the lower left side and pressed from the upper side so that the respective suspending portions 7A are engagedly fitted in the corresponding first fitting holes 30, and then the second intermediate plate 23 is moved to the position indicated by a two-dotted chain line of FIG. 7. However, in this case, the upper end portions of the suspending portions 7A do not project upwards from the second intermediate plate 23 (see FIG. 7). When the second intermediate plate 23 is moved, the other pair of first fitting holes 30 at the symmetrical positions play no role. Under this state, the paper cores 25 are engagedly fitted in the second fitting holes 31 of the second intermediate plate 23. The paper cores 25 are designed to be longer than the second intermediate plate 23 in the thickness direction thereof, and project upwards from the second intermediate plate 23.

Subsequently, the plastic sheet 26 is put to cover the constituent elements from the second intermediate plate 23 to the lower plate 21, and then the upper plate 24 is placed on the plastic sheet 26. Thereafter, all the constituent elements from the upper plate 24 to the base board 20 are fixedly bound by the binding belt 27 so as to be integral with each other (see FIG. 8).

As described above, under the state that each compressor main body 2A is inserted in the first intermediate plate 22, the second intermediate plate 23 is placed on the end caps 3A, each suspending portion 7A is engagedly fitted in the corresponding first fitting hole 30, the paper cores 25 are engagedly fitted in the second fitting holes 31, and the compressors 1A are fixedly sandwiched between the lower plate 21 and the upper plate 24. Particularly, the second intermediate plate 23 and the paper cores 25 contribute to prevent occurrence of clearance when the compressors 1A are fixedly sandwiched between the lower plate 21 and the upper plate 24, thereby surely fixing the compressors 1A.

Next, a manner of packaging plural low-temperature compressors 1B will be described.

First, the lower plate 21 is reversed and placed face down on the base board 20 so that the cut-out portion 21A is located at the lower right side. Then, the spherical convex surface portion of the end cap 4B of each low-temperature compressor 1B is engagedly fitted in the first fitting hole 32 of the lower plate 21, the annular flat portion in the neighborhood of the peripheral edge portion of the end cap 4B is mounted on the peripheral edge portion of the first fitting hole 32, and the four securing legs 5B are engagedly fitted in the corresponding second fitting holes 33, whereby the rotation of the compressors 1B on the plane (in the plane direction) can be prevented.

Subsequently, the first intermediate plate 22 is reversed and placed face down, and put on the upper side of the compressors 1B so that the cut-out portion 22A is located at the lower right side. The compressor main bodies 2B are inserted through the first fitting holes 34, the outflow plugs 11B are inserted through the second fitting holes 35, the take-out pipes 19B are inserted through the third fitting holes 36, the inlet pipes 18B are inserted through the fourth fitting holes 37, the take-out pipes 17B are inserted through the fifth fitting holes 38, and the first intermediate late 22 is moved to the position indicated by the two-dotted chain line of FIG. 11. By the first intermediate plate 22, the movement of the compressors 1B in the plane direction can be surely prevented.

Subsequently, the second intermediate plate 23 is reversed and placed face down so that the cut-out portion 23A is located at the lower right side, pressed from the upper side so that the suspending portions 7B are engagedly fitted in the corresponding first fitting holes 30 and moved to the position indicated by a two-dotted chain line of FIG. 11. In this case, the upper end portions of the suspending portions 7B are prevented from projecting upwards from the second intermediate plate 23 (see FIG. 11). When the second intermediate plate 23 is moved, the pair of first fitting holes 30 in which the suspending portions 7A are fitted play no role. Under this state, the paper cores 25 are engagedly fitted in the second fitting holes 31 of the second intermediate plate 23. In this case, the paper cores 25 are designed to be longer than the second intermediate plate 23 in the thickness direction thereof, and thus project upwards from the second intermediate plate 23.

Subsequently, the plastic sheet 26 is put to cover the constituent elements from the second intermediate plate 23 to the lower plate 21, the upper plate 24 is placed on the plastic sheet 26, and then all the constituent elements from the upper plate 24 to the base board 20 are fixedly bound by the binding band 27 so as to be integral with one another (see FIG. 12).

As described above, under the state that the compressor main bodies 2B are inserted through the first intermediate plate 22, the second intermediate plate 23 is placed on the end caps 3B, the suspending portions 7B are fitted in the corresponding first fitting holes 30, and then the paper cores 25 are engagedly fitted in the second fitting holes 31, whereby the compressors 1B are fixedly sandwiched between the lower plate 21 and the upper plate 24. Particularly, the second intermediate plate 23 and the paper cores 25 prevent occurrence of clearance when the compressors 1B are fixedly sandwiched between the lower plate 21 and the upper plate 24, and contribute to the fixedly packaging of the compressors.

In the compressor packaging apparatus described above, the compressors 1A and 1B can be surely prevented from being damaged due to vertical vibration or swinging motion when they are transported. Furthermore, when two kinds of compressors having substantially the same size are packaged, by providing only one kind of intermediate plate (each of first and second intermediate plates) and only one kind of lower plate and selectively placing these elements face up or face down, the compressor packaging apparatus having a low manufacturing cost can be provided.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various alternatives, alterations and modifications of this embodiment can be made by persons skilled in the art, and thus the present invention contains these various alternatives, alterations and modifications without departing from the subject matter of the present invention. 

1. A compressor packaging apparatus including a lower plate (21) mounted on a base board (20), an intermediate plate and an upper plate (24), plural compressors (1A, 1B) each of which has a cylindrical compressor main body (2A, 2B) having dish-shaped end caps (3A, 3B, 4A, 4B) at both the end portions thereof being placed on the lower plate and fixedly sandwiched between the lower plate and the upper plate while each compressor main body is inserted through the intermediate plate, characterized in that when one kind of compressors are packaged, the lower plate (21) and the intermediate plate are used with being placed face up, and when another kind of compressors are packaged, the lower plate and the intermediate plate are reversed and used with being placed face down.
 2. The compressor packaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the lower plate and the intermediate plate is provided with an identifier for identifying which kind of compressors are packaged.
 3. The compressor packaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate plate comprises a first intermediate plate (22) through which the compressor main bodies are inserted, and a second intermediate plate (23) having fitting holes in which paper cores disposed on the end caps at the upper portions of the compressors are engagedly fitted.
 4. The compressor packaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the compressor main bodies and the end caps thereof are equipped with various kinds of projections extending outwards from the surfaces thereof, and the intermediate plate is equipped with main fitting holes in which the compressor main bodies are inserted and engagedly fitted, and sub fitting holes that intercommunicate with the main fitting holes so as to extend outwards from the main fitting holes and in which the projections are engagedly fitted in the corresponding sub fitting holes.
 5. The compressor packaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein sub fitting holes in which the projections should be engagedly fitted are selected in accordance with the kind of compressors to be packaged.
 6. The compressor packaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each of the lower plate and the upper plate comprises plural laminated cardboards that are adhesively attached to one another. 